Adi Yuva Fellow

Support the health and well-being programs for youth from tribal communities.

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Application deadline 6 months ago: Monday 12 Jan 2026 at 00:00 UTC

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Overview

Support the health and well-being programs for youth from tribal communities.

You have:

  • Demonstrated interest in socio-economic development of youth in tribal communities, with understanding of tribal issues and challenges at the state and national levels.
  • Demonstrated willingness to learn about thematics relevant to the assignment, such as tribal development, life skills education, public health, youth empowerment, communication, programme management, or related fields.
  • Knowledge of programme implementation and management;
  • Prior experience of working on projects related to youth empowerment or tribal development or public health would be an asset.
  • Resourcefulness, efficient in taking initiative, maturity of judgment, tact;
  • Previous experience as a volunteer (i.e. research, internship, etc.) would be highly regarded.
  • Sound understanding of youth related issues would be an asset.
  • Self-motivation and ability to adapt professionally in a challenging environment.
  • Good interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of stakeholders;
  • Willingness to travel to project sites and other areas as needed.
  • Must be a member of a recognized Scheduled Tribe.
  • Preference will be given to youth with intersecting vulnerabilities (gender, income, disabilities, etc.)

Contract

This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.

This is a UNV Community Volunteer contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV Community Volunteer contracts.

The 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR) consultations, led by NITI Aayog and supported by the UN in India, prioritized 13 “Leave No One Behind” (LNOB) groups, including Scheduled Tribes and Adivasis, highlighting the urgent need to build capacities, ensure access, and foster meaningful representation for youth from tribal communities. The consultations identified critical gaps in skills, leadership opportunities, and systemic support for youth from tribal communities, emphasising the need for targeted career pathways and inclusive development strategies.

UNFPA works in partnership with tribal departments at both national and state levels to advance the health, rights, and wellbeing of tribal populations, with a strong focus on adolescents, women, and youth. UNFPA supports life skills education, sexual and reproductive health awareness, and gender equality initiatives among youth from tribal communities through community-based and school based programmes.

In alignment with the UN Youth Strategy (Phase 2: 2025-2030) which places youth at the center of global transformation and SDG acceleration, the United Nations in India is launching a structured, first-of-its-kind initiative: the Adi Yuva Fellowship. This innovative programme will bring together the expertise of UN agencies to mentor and train youth from tribal communities to sharpen their knowledge and skills to enhance employment opportunities in the development sector , and also to create a more inclusive environment within the UN System in India.

Young people recruited through the Adi Yuva Fellowship will have access to learning and professional development opportunities, including a suite of online learning programmes fostering their professional growth and contributing to inclusivity. Fellows will receive a paid 12-month assignment and valuable work experience, enabling them to build competencies for future leadership roles. By combining structured learning with practical work experience, the Fellowship not only accelerates the professional growth of young people but also creates a pipeline of diverse and capable talent ready to drive sustainable development and social impact.

The Adi Yuva Fellows, located in impactful roles across ministries/departments and UN development programmes, will assist in the health and well-being programme management including planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation. He/she will be responsible for the effective programme support and management on access to age appropriate, gender sensitive and socially inclusive information and services and linkages with other programme areas.

Under the direct supervision of the State Head of Office - Rajasthan, the UNV will perform the following tasks: ● Assist in providing technical support for the implementation of innovative and effective strategies for advancing adolescent and youth centric policies and programming; ● Assist in promoting and advocating for programmes that focus on availability and access to Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRHR) services, life skills education, youth leadership and empowerment, with special focus on young people from tribal groups; ● Provide technical support to the Tribal Affairs Department (TAD) in the planning, monitoring, and implementation of key initiatives such as Adi Karmayogi; ● Liaise with the TAD to promote implementation of the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP) in all tribal schools; ● Facilitate convergence with line departments such as Health, Department of Women Empowerment (DWE), and Education to promote initiatives, including Adolescent Health Days, health screening of students, and psychosocial support in tribal schools; ● Document success stories and case studies highlighting key achievements of the Department; ● Data collections, analysis and report preparation for various tribal programmes and schemes aimed towards empowerment of young people; ● Support mobilisation, raise awareness, facilitate access to government programmes and schemes for the adolescents and youth in tribal communities; ● Assist in analyzing bottlenecks at national and state levels to the delivery of information and services and suggest approaches to address needs and challenges of tribal adolescents and young people that are inclusive and innovative; ● Provide support in innovative youth leadership interventions specifically on youth from tribal communities and adapt them to Indian context for implementation by the ministry; ● Assist in providing technical support to key stakeholders including capacity building, feedback and regular review for effective programme delivery; ● Support in improving access to correct and comprehensive information, life skills and services for young people from tribal communities; ● Participate in the development and updating of guidelines, communication and training materials, briefing notes, and any other programme related documents as required; ● Support ad-hoc administrative and operational tasks.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to: ● Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); ● Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; ● Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; ● Contribute articles/ write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/ websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; ● Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

• Accountability • Adaptability and Flexibility • Building Trust • Commitment and Motivation • Commitment to Continuous Learning • Communication • Empowering Others • Ethics and Values • Integrity • Knowledge Sharing • Planning and Organizing • Professionalism • Respect for Diversity • Self-Management • Technological Awareness • Working in Teams.

● Demonstrated interest in socio-economic development of youth in tribal communities, with understanding of tribal issues and challenges at the state and national levels. ● Demonstrated willingness to learn about thematics relevant to the assignment, such as tribal development, life skills education, public health, youth empowerment, communication, programme management, or related fields. ● Knowledge of programme implementation and management; ● Prior experience of working on projects related to youth empowerment or tribal development or public health would be an asset. ● Resourcefulness, efficient in taking initiative, maturity of judgment, tact; ● Previous experience as a volunteer (i.e. research, internship, etc.) would be highly regarded. ● Sound understanding of youth related issues would be an asset. ● Self-motivation and ability to adapt professionally in a challenging environment. ● Good interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of stakeholders; ● Willingness to travel to project sites and other areas as needed.

NOTE: Must be a member of a recognized Scheduled Tribe. Preference will be given to youth with intersecting vulnerabilities (gender, income, disabilities, etc.

Udaipur: Udaipur is a mid-sized city of approximately 550,000 people located in the northwestern state of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is the country’s largest state and home to 68 million people. The state boasts some of India's most beautiful cities, and is known for its arid climate and hospitable people. Known for its scenic beauty, lakes and palaces, Udaipur remains a popular tourist destination and is sometimes called the “Venice of the East”. The city’s rich history and culture offers an interesting contrast to India’s larger cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Summer temperatures range from the low 70s to 110 degrees (F). Over time Udaipur became a hub for NGO activity in India. Udaipur is well connected to cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur by flights. For commuting within the city, taxis, autorickshaws or bicycles can be rented.

The UN Volunteer will be stationed at the Tribal Affairs Department in Udaipur, Rajasthan. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

For information specific to your assignment, please see below: • Monthly Voluntary Living Allowance (VLA): INR 25,984.60 • Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 50 (equivalent in INR) • Insurance: Comprehensive coverage for health, life and malicious acts for the UN Volunteer only. • Annual leave: 2.5 days per month • Learning: Access to UNV's learning and career development resources

You can check full entitlements at https://app.unv.org/calculator.

UN Volunteers will provide, together with the offer of assignment, a copy of the Conditions of Service, including Code of conduct, to the successful candidate. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.

Potential interview questions

Can you describe a time when you effectively advocated for youth empowerment initiatives? The interviewer wants to gauge your experience and skills in advocacy. Provide a specific example that details your role and the impact of your actions.
How do you approach challenges when working with diverse stakeholders? This question assesses your interpersonal skills and adaptability. Pro members can see the explanation.
What strategies would you employ to promote access to health education in tribal communities? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe an experience where you addressed the needs of youth in a challenging environment. Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Can you give an example of how you've used data to inform a program decision? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you ensure culturally sensitive communication when working with tribal communities? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What motivates you to work with tribal communities, particularly youth? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you go about fostering youth leadership in tribal settings? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 9 months ago - Updated 6 months ago - Source: unv.org